It's over. Jason Koon is the champion. The final hand was the latest -- and last -- in a pattern that has developed over the past 45 minutes or so of Charlie Carrel seemingly having something but Koon having better.

It was an unraised pot and a flop of Q♠K♦2♠. They checked. They also checked the 8♠ turn. Then the J♦ came on the river and Carrel bet 400,000 from a stack of around 2.8 million. Koon said that he was all-in.

"Seriously?!" Carrel said. "The river again? It's like 12 times."

Carrel then pointed at the King on the board and said, "I've got one of those." Koon didn't move.

Carrel threw in calling chips and Koon showed his Q♥8♦ -- he flopped second pair and turned another. Carrel showed K♣7♦ and was defeated.

Charlie Carrel - 2nd place

Koon wins $1,650,300 and Carrel $1,191,900. The PokerStars Championship era is up and running. -- HS

Charlie Carrel has dropped to around 2.5 million after two losses in a row.

Jason Koon raised and Carrel called. Both players checked the 7♦6♦5♣ flop and T♦ turn before Carrel led for 200,000 on the 5♥ river. Koon raised to 800,000 and that sent Carrel into the tank. He called and then mucked upon seeing Koon's A♠5♠.

Carrel limped in the very next hand and Koon checked his option. The flop fanned A♦A♠Q♠ and Koon check-called 160,000. The turn was the T♦ and Koon check-called another 300,000 before the J♦ river was checked through. Koon opened K♠9♣ for yet another straight and Carrel mucked. --MC

Pots continue to happen in a blur. The dealer setting remains on fast forward and the two players are taking mere seconds to make their decisions.

Charlie Carrel lost and then won consecutive pots, losing and then clawing back about half a million in chips. On the first occasion, Jason Koon completed from the small blind and Carrel raised to 500,000. Koon said that he was all-in and Carrel folded.

Then on the next hand, Carrel completed, Koon raised to 500,000 and Carrel called. They went to a flop of 5♦9♣7♦ and Koon checked. Carrel bet 400,000 and Koon folded. Total time for this, including two shuffles, about 1 minute. --HS

Jason Koon made another straight but Charlie Carrel made a river check-back to stop it costing him more than it could've done.

Carrel limped in from the button and Koon checked his option. The flop came K♠9♦J♠ and Koon check-called 200,000. Carrel got another 425,000 called on the Q♣ turn before Carrel checked back the 6♥ river. Koon announced a straight and opened J♣T♥. Carrel mucked. --MC

The pace of play has been exceedingly rapid during the heads-up portion. Both Charlie Carrel and Jason Koon are acting without hesitation, and current dealer Jenna is lightning-fast as well. Indeed, the action only ever slows down at all if things proceed beyond the flop.

Just now came one of those instances in a hand that started with a Koon button raise to 360,000, called by Carrel. The flop came 2♥9♠6♥, Carrel checked, Koon bet 250,000, then Carrel check-raised to 700,000. That caused the pause, and after a think Koon called.

Both checked the 7♠ turn. Then after the T♦ river Carrel fired 900,000 and Koon took a full minute to act. Rubbing a finger on his temple and rechecking his cards, Koon considered it all very closely, then let his cards go.

Put Carrel up to 5.8 million now, having edged a little closer to Koon's 7.7 million. --MH

A new level has gotten underway and it was evens through the first few hands.

Charlie Carrel won a pot after he three-bet to 1,075,000. Jason Koon had opened to 360,000 but folded to the raise.

Koon got his own back the very next hand by making a straight on the river. Carrel had opened to 375,000 and Koon called to an 8♣9♦4♣ flop that was checked through. Koon then check-called a 400,000 bet on the 2♠ turn before the 3♦ river was checked. Koon opened K♦5♥ and Carrel mucked. --MC

As the board came 5♣3♦9♣J♣2♥, a pot of about 700,000 had developed between Charlie Carrel and Jason Koon when Carrel led the river with a big overbet of 1.5 million. Koon thought a while and folded, and Carrel showed his hand -- 7♥6♣ for a bluff -- as he collected the pot.

Carrel has been chipping back a little of late as the next break approaches. --MH

Charlie Carrel raised to 275,000 from the button, Jason Koon called, and the flop came K♠K♦6♦. Koon checked, Carrel bet 200,000, Koon check-raised to 650,000, and after pausing a couple of beats Carrel called.

The turn brought the 5♣ and a leading bet of 1.1 million from Koon, and Carrel thought a short while again before calling.

The river was the 9♦. This time Koon announced he was all in for the last 3 million or so he had behind, and Carrel exhaled as he leaned back in his chair.

"Ace-high," he began, alluding to his own hand. "All right, speak to me," he continued. "What do you think I should do?"

"What does your heart tell you to do?" replied Koon.

"Come in closer... get a stethoscope," said Carrel, who continued on, jokingly complaining that Koon always seemed confident.

"I'm probably throwing it away," said Carrel, who just a few seconds later said "fold."

Koon finally broke his poker face, saying how it would have been a big call with ace-high.

Koon has evened the match now, having climbed up over 6.5 million while Carrel has just under 7 million. --MH

Koon adds to stack

5:45pm: Two on the trot for KoonLevel 21 - Blinds 50,000/100,000 (ante 10,000)

Jason Koon showed the aggressive side of his game over two hands and that helped him get his stack up to beyond the 3.6 million mark.

He limped in from the button and Charlie Carrel checked his option. The flop spread 4♣4♦7♣ and Carrel check-raised Koon's 125,000-bet up to 325,000. Koon called and then bet 800,000 on the K♥ turn. Carrel snap folded.

The very next hand Carrel raised to 275,000 and then folded after Koon moved all-in for around 3.3 million. --MC

5:35pm: More for CarrelLevel 21 - Blinds 50,000/100,000 (ante 10,000)

The fast pace of heads-up play continues, as does Charlie Carrel adding to his lead.

Charlie Carrel opened for 250,000 from the button, Jason Koon called, and the flop came K♥T♦A♥. Koon checked, then called after Carrel bet 200,000, Koon called. Koon check-called again after the 3♣ turn, the bet being 450,000 this time.

Both checked the 8♣ river, and Koon tabled K♦4♠ for kings. Carrel had kings, too, but his K♣J♦ included a better kicker and he took the pot.

Koon slips just under 3 million with that one, while Carrel is up close to 10.5 million. --MH

It has been one-way traffic since heads-up play began with Charlie Carrel extending his chip lead to around 10 million to Koon's 3 million.

After what was quite a ponderous final table to this point, they are playing at a breakneck pace thankful, in no small measure, to one of the quickest dealers in these parts. Carrel has been bombing at pretty much everything and Koon has had few options but to wait for better spots. -- HS

On the very next hand after Daniel Dvoress was eliminated in fourth, Daniel Colman open-raised all in from the cutoff for approximately 3 million, Charlie Carrel called the shove from the button and the blinds got out.

Colman had A♥J♥ while Carrel had K♦K♥, and the board rolled out T♣4♠8♠8♥9♦ to miss Colman's hand and stop his run in third for $759,660. That pushes Carrel up over 8.5 million, giving him the chip lead to start heads-up play. --MH

Daniel Dvoress is out in fourth, taking $576,300 and leaving Charlie Carrel with 5.5 million and the chip lead.

Dvoress is a gritty campaigner, but there was no getting away from K♥J♥ after Carrel had opened his button, making it 225,000 to play. Dvoress shoved for almost precisely 2 million and Carrel instantly called. He had A♣K♣.

The board actually meant that this was a flush under full house coup when it ran A♦8♣4♥8♥A♥. But that was that for Dvoress. -- HS

Daniel Dvoress - 4th place

5:05pm: Wanna gamble?Level 21 - Blinds 50,000/100,000 (ante 10,000)

We just saw three hands in a row featuring all-in raises, the last of which was the most entertaining.

In the first Charlie Carrel open-raised all in from the small blind, forcing Daniel Dvoress to fold his big blind. The next saw Carrel raising his button and Dvoress returning the favor with a reraise-shove from the small blind, earning folds and the pot.

In the third one Jason Koon open-raised all in from the small blind, and after looking at his cards Daniel Colman couldn't have appeared more uncomfortable.

"Ohhh," exhaled Colman, and Koon asked him what he had. Colman blurted out it was ace-queen, then laughingly caught himself as he remembered a line delivered to him back on Day 1 by Charlie Carrel (see the 2:45pm entry).

"I have something between ace-king and ace-jack," Colman grinned, and the table laughed.

He thought a while longer, eventually saying to Koon "You know I have 2.8?"

"Yep," said Koon without hesitating. "Wanna gamble?"

Finally Colman folded, and Koon showed one of his cards -- the 6♥ -- evoking some grins and a wince from Colman.

Charlie Carrel and Jason Koon have been trading the chip lead all day, and the most recent pendulum swing went in the favour of Koon as, once again, two players hit a pair of kings and a kicker separated them.

Carrel opened his button, making it 225,000 to play, and Koon called in the big blind. They saw a flop of 4♦7♥2♦ and Koon check-called Carrel's c-bet of 200,000.

The K♠ came on the turn and Koon check-called a 450,000 bet. They both then checked the A♥ river and Koon's K♥8♥ was good.

Carrel was about to muck, but was in too much agony not to share it. He showed his K♦3♦.

"Think if the river was the two of spades," Koon said, suggesting that would have cost Carrel far more. -- HS

After an orbit's worth of (relatively) small-pot hands, Dan Colman opened for 225,000 from the button and watched Charlie Carrel make it 700,000 to go from the small blind. Colman thought a while before finally calling, and the flop fell 9♦9♣4♠.

Carrel led with a bet and Colman instantly folded, appearing as though he'd wished he'd have let it go preflop. Carrel is up around 4.7 million now (and back in the lead), while Colman is at 2.5 million. --MH

In the last hand of the level -- and the last before the next 20-minute break -- leader Charlie Carrel opened for 210,000 from the small blind, and Daniel Dvoress called from the big blind.

The flop fell 9♦7♠9♠, and Carrel promptly led for 225,000. Dvoress thought a while, then raise-shoved for 1.355 million.

Carrel quizzed Dvoress for a while, finally concluding "He's confident, boys!" before letting his hand go. Dvoress is now near 2 million while Carrel has just over 4 million.

We'll get fresh counts of the remaining four to share with you during the break. --MH

3:55pm: Wily operatorsLevel 19 - Blinds 30,000/60,000 (ante 10,000)

Here's a pot that seemed pretty small until it suddenly dawned on everyone that there was more than 2 million up for grabs--and the potential for it to grow even more.

Daniel Dvoress, the short stack at the table, was the only player not involved. It must have delighted him to see the two biggest stacks go at it, with Daniel Colman also playing a cameo.

Colman actually started it with a raise to 180,000 from under the gun. Charlie Carrel called on the button and Jason Koon called in the big blind. Dvoress sat back and watched.

The flop brought the K♠7♠J♣ and three checks. Then the T♥ appeared on the turn. Koon and Colman checked, but Carrel bet 300,000 and only Koon remained.

The river was the 6♠ and Koon checked again. Carrel bet again, this time 700,000, and Koon pondered his options.

Eventually he said that he was "just" going to call. And it soon made sense why. Carrel showed Q♥9♥ for a straight, but Koon had a baby flush with his 5♠8♠.

"That's not the kind of call I wanted to see," Carrel said, then muttered something about ICM. A straight versus a flush might end up with inferior players getting all their chips in. But these are canny operators and aren't going to risk hundreds of thousands of dollars in equity in spots like this.

Byron Kaverman is out in fifth, his end coming in a not-so-nice way versus Daniel Colman.

The table folded around to Colman in the small blind who pushed all in, and after checking his cards Kaverman nodded and grinned to indicate he was going to call and put his last 720,000 at risk.

Kaverman had picked up A♦T♠ while Colman had but 9♥6♥. Alas for Kaverman, the flop came 9♠8♥2♠ to hit Colman's hand, and after the 2♥ turn and K♠ river Kaverman hit the rail in fifth, collecting a $445,320 cash.

Daniel Dvoress has moved all-in at least three times in the past 10 minutes, picking up blinds and antes with two of those moves but, on the other occasion, adding an extra 180,000 thanks to Jason Koon having opened the pot. He is up to about 1.7 million as a result. -- HS

The Charlie Carrel train keeps chugging along. He's just added more chips to his leading stack.

The hand started with Carrel opening for 215,000 from the small blind and Daniel Dvoress calling from the big blind. The flop came 8♦9♣8♥ and Carrel continued for 225,000, getting a call from Dvoress. Then after the 8♣ turn Carrel checked, Dvoress bet 200,000, and Carrel called.

Both checked the 2♥ river, and when Carrel turned over 9♥2♣ for eights full of nines Dvoress mucked.

Carrel moves up more to 5.25 million, and Dvoress is now at 975,000. --MH

Charlie Carrel raised to 205,000 from the button and Connor Drinan reraise-shoved from the big blind for his last 700,000 or so. Carrel called right away, turning over A♠K♣ while Drinan needed help with A♦4♣.

The flop brought such help, coming 4♦5♣3♥ to pair Drinan's kicker. But the K♠ then landed on the turn to pair Carrel's, leaving the at-risk player drawing thin.

The river was the A♣, giving both two pair, but Drinan was still second-best and he was eliminated in sixth for $340,540.

Connor Drinan - 6th place

Carrel has 4.55 million. --MH

3pm: Kaverman's bulletsLevel 19 - Blinds 30,000/60,000 (ante 10,000)

Byron Kaverman is still with us, but Connor Drinan is now in trouble after a big double up for the former.

Drinan open shoved from the cutoff and Kaverman called all-in, for precisely 800,000, from the big blind.

Drinan had 2♣2♠ and was a long way behind Kaverman's A♥A♠. The board ran 5♦5♠4♣3♣J♦ and the aces held up.

The last two hands of Level 19 saw Jason Koon in the blind a couple of times, the first ending with a small loss, the second with a slightly larger gain.

In the first Connor Drinan limped from the small blind, Koon checked from the big blind, and the flop came 8♦7♣K♠. Drinan led for 75,000 and Koon called, then both checked the Q♦ turn. The river was the 3♥, and when Drinan bet 200,000, Koon folded.

The second hand saw Charlie Carrel raise to 125,000 from middle position and Koon call from the small blind. The flop came 7♣8♦3♠, and Koon check-called a c-bet of 150,000. Both checked the K♥ turn, then Koon led for 145,000 on the 3♥ river and Carrel called.

Koon tabled A♥7♥ for sevens and it was good, and now he's at about 3.6 million. --MH

2:45pm: Wanna feel old?Level 19 - Blinds 30,000/60,000 (ante 10,000)

Jason Koon, Daniel Colman and Connor Drinan are talking about playing poker in 2009 and are describing that as "Back in the day." Charlie Carrel, who is 22, said, "I wouldn't know." --HS

Daniel Colman opened for 140,000 from the button and after pausing a few beats Bryon Kaverman announced he was reraising all in. The action moved to Charlie Carrel in the big blind who checked his cards and quickly set out chips to call, and Colman stepped aside.

Kaverman: A♣Q♦Carrel: A♥K♣

Carrel was in a good spot to get back what he'd just lost to Kaverman -- and then some -- and after the 4♦T♣7♦ flop and K♦ turn Carrel had improved to a pair but Kaverman still had gutshot outs. The river was a classic brick, though -- the 2♣ -- and Carrel earned the big double.

Carrel bounds up to 4.3 million after that (good for first position), and Kaverman 850,000 (sixth of six). --MH

Picking up the action on a 4♠3♣2♦ flop, Connor Drinan pushed all in for 865,000 and sent Byron Kaverman back into the tank.

Kaverman looked at the ceiling and exhaled, shaking his head. He took another two minutes, then finally rechecked his cards and folded. Drinan showed him one -- the K♦ -- and collected the pot, and Kaverman stared at the ceiling some more.

Kaverman is at 2.425 million now, and Drinan at 1.3 million. --MH

2.30pm: Kaverman's bluffLevel 19 - Blinds 30,000/60,000 (ante 10,000)

Byron Kaverman just flexed his muscles pre-flop in a pot against Daniel Dvoress, then seemed to suggest he wasn't exactly packing the goods.

To explain: Kaverman opened his button, making it 150,000 to play. Dvoress then three-bet to 470,000 from the big blind and Kaverman went into the tank.

After a couple of minutes he said that he was all-in, probably just about covering Dvoress. Dvoress checked his cards again and mucked.

Kaverman then added the flourish. He turned over the 2♠ for, at best, the smallest pair in poker. Dvoress gave a wry smile and is left with about 1.95 million. Kaverman has about 500,000 more. --HS

Daniel Colman raised to 135,000 from the button, Charlie Carrel called from the big blind, and the flop came A♠Q♣A♦.

Carrel check-called a bet of 90,000 from Colman, then the 9♦ fell on the turn. Carrel checked again, and as soon as Colman set out chips Carrel pitched his hand away.

Colman has now passed Carrel in the counts, moving up close to 3 million while Carrel has about 2.5 million now. --MH

Colman chipping up

2:15pm: DDx3Level 19 - Blinds 30,000/60,000 (ante 10,000)

Daniel Dvoress just played a hat-trick of pots and victories in the last two earned a net profit for the last remaining Canadian in the field.

Dvoress was in the big blind for the first of these hands, and checked after Charlie Carrel completed from the small blind. They saw a flop of A♦6♠7♦ and Carrel bet 75,000. Dvoress raised to 225,000 and Carrel called.

The 3♥ appeared on the turn, which they both checked, taking them to the A♣ on the river. They checked again and Carrel showed 7♥9♣, after which Dvoress mucked.

On the next hand, action folded to Dvoress in the small blind and he sized up Connor Drinan's stack next to him. It was slightly less than 1 million and Dvoress announced that he was all-in. Drinan folded.

Dvoress was on the button on the next hand and opened to 140,000. Jason Koon called in the big blind and these two surveyed a flop of 6♥A♠T♣. Koon checked and Dvoress bet 120,000. Koon called and they saw the 4♥ come on the turn.

They both checked. And they also both checked the 8♠ on the river. Koon tabled his Q♥6♠ and Dvoress showed his 9♠9♥. The nines beat the sixes and Dvoress has about 2.4 million now. -- HS

2pm: The big squeezeLevel 19 - Blinds 30,000/60,000 (ante 10,000)

The first hand after the break had one element in common with the last hand just before it -- a Byron Kaverman all-in raise.

This time the hand saw Connor Drinan open for 140,000 from middle position and both Jason Koon (cutoff) and Daniel Colman (button) call. Kaverman was in the small blind, and he sat quietly for a half-minute before shoving all in, forcing folds all around. --MH

In the last hand before the break, Charlie Carrel raised to 110,000 from under the gun and it folded to Daniel Colman in the small blind. Not having noticed the raise, Colman just put out another yellow chip as though limping in for 50,000. The floor was called, and being given the option either to call the 115,000 or fold and give up the 50K, Colman got out.

Byron Kaverman, however, wasn't going anywhere, as he three-bet all in for his last 1.04 million. Carrel thought a couple of minutes, looking over his stack and doing some mental arithmetic, then decided to call.

Kaverman: 9♦9♠Carrel: 7♠7♥

The board came 8♠K♠8♦T♠4♣, doubling Kaverman up over 2.1 million while Carrel slips back to around 2.7 million.

The 20-minute break has arrived. We'll get fresh counts of all six players to you in just a moment. --MH

Three straight hands went raise-and-take -- won by Daniel Colman, Jason Koon, and Daniel Dvoress -- then it was Connor Drinan raising the next one from the button.

The pattern wouldn't hold, however. It folded to Colman in the big blind who pushed all in, and Drinan got out. --MH

1:30pm: Keeping it smallLevel 18 - Blinds 25,000/50,000 (ante 5,000)

Two small pots that might have been bigger:

First up, Connor Drinan opened to 115,000 from the button and Daniel Colman called in the big blind. They saw a flop of 8♥9♠6♣ and Colman check-called Drinan's bet of 125,000.

The 6♦ appeared on the turn and this time Colman check-folded to Drinan's bet of 240,000 despite seemingly being interested in taking things further.

Colman also played a small part in the next hand, which started with a raise to 110,000 from Jason Koon and a call from Colman on the button. Charlie Carrel also called from the big blind.

The flop came Q♠7♠8♥ and after two checks, Koon continued for 225,000. Only Carrel called. There was no more betting on the J♣ turn nor the 6♥ river and Carrel showed 8♠7♥ for a flopped two pair. Koon mucked. -- HS

1:25pm: Captain KavermanLevel 18 - Blinds 25,000/50,000 (ante 5,000)

Byron Kaverman just open-pushed all in on two hands in quick succession, but no one was interested in challenging him.

Daniel Dvoress is a threat again after scoring a double up through Charlie Carrel. He had dwindled to a little more than 1 million but then found kings. Better for Dvoress: Carrel had tens and paid him off.

Dvoress opened to 125,000 from under the gun and action slowly folded to Carrel in the big blind. (Byron Kaverman had seemed interested from the small blind, but tank-folded.)

Carrel paused a conversation with Jason Koon as he peeked at his cards, requesting that they pick it up again after he had "stacked Dan". Carrel three-bet all-in, covering Dvoress easily.

Jason Koon opened for 100,000 from the button, and when it folded to Bryn Kenney he reraised all in, noting he had 655,000 as he did. Koon thought just a beat and then set out calling chips, opening J♦T♦ as he did. Meanwhile Kenney had the preflop edge with A♥8♥.

Kenney's edge increased with the K♠A♣2♣ flop, giving him a pair of aces, and he stayed in front through the 6♥ turn. But the river was the Q♠, filling a Broadway straight for Koon.

First in this event last year, Kenney is the first casher this time around, taking away $275,060. Koon is the new leader with 4.05 million. --MH

It remains slow going here in the Bahamas as Byron Kaverman and Daniel Colman just played a pot that ate about five minutes out of the Level 18 clock but didn't alter the chip counts too significantly.

Kaverman started it with a raise to 110,000 from early position. Colman was the only caller from the big blind. The flop fell 8♥9♣8♠ and after Colman checked, Kaverman bet 80,000. Colman called.

They both checked the A♠ turn, but then Colman bet 180,000 at the 3♦ river. After a long time to think about it, Kaverman folded. -- HS

1:05pm: A few more for KoonLevel 18 - Blinds 25,000/50,000 (ante 5,000)

Jason Koon is up to 3.3 million now. He just won another small one after raising preflop from under the gun and getting called by Connor Drinan in the big blind.

Both checked down the 4♦J♦A♦ flop, 8♠ turn, and 6♦ river, and Koon's T♣8♣ for eights beat Drinan's 7♣7♠.

Connor Drinan's mind palace is evidently pretty deep as he just spent a good three or four minutes with his own thoughts after facing a three-bet pre-flop from Jason Koon.

Drinan opened to 125,000 from the hijack and Koon, who has been very active this afternoon, made it 350,000 one seat along. It folded back to Drinan and, with about 1.45 million behind, he thought long and hard about his options.

Nobody else around the table said a word, nor even really moved. After stroking his chips for several minutes, likely pondering whether to move them all-in, Drinan folded.

Jason Koon opened for 175,000 from the small blind, Daniel Colman defended the big blind with a call, and the flop came all diamonds -- K♦6♦3♦.

Koon continued for 120,000 and Colman called, but Koon slowed down with a check after the 6♠ turn card. Colman took that as an invitation to bet 250,000, and Koon called.

The river 3♥ then put a second pair on the board, and both players checked. Koon tabled A♠J♠, and his ace was good as Colman folded.

Koon is up to 3 million now and nearing leader Charlie Carrel, while Colman now has 2.1 million. --MH

12:45pm: Bryn's battleLevel 18 - Blinds 25,000/50,000 (ante 5,000)

Bryn Kenney has been folding his way through the early portion of play today, but just now interrupted that pattern by open-raising all in and getting no callers.

Kenney is the shortest of the seven with about 750,000. --MH

Seven-handed play continues

12:40pm: Kenney jamsLevel 18 - Blinds 25,000/50,000 (ante 5,000)

Bryn Kenney got a walk in the big blind, with the other players seemingly sure that his stack of 600,000 is itching to get into the pot. Sure enough, on the next hand he open-jammed the small blind and Byron Kaverman folded his big.

Kenney, the defending champion, has about 650,000 now. He is still the shortest in the room. The blinds have now gone up too. We're in Level 18. -- HS

Four more hands sans flops went by -- a couple of raise-and-takes (won by Connor Drinan and Byron Kaverman), and a couple of walks (won by Kaverman and Chariie Carrel) -- then it was Kaverman raising to 95,000 from the cutoff and Carrel three-betting to 250,000 from the button.

The blinds scattered, and after sitting quietly for 20 seconds Kaverman announced he was reraising all in and Carrel quickly folded.

Kaverman has chipped up to about 1.35 million, while Carrel still leads with 3.35 million. --MH

12:30pm: Carrel's secret?Level 17 - Blinds 20,000/40,000 (ante 5,000)

Action folded to Daniel Dvoress on the button and, as is pretty much mandatory in these kinds of situations, he raised to 90,000. Connor Drinan folded his small blind but Jason Koon then three-bet to 350,000 from the big blind.

Dvoress folded and this was uninteresting, but what Charlie Carrel said next was unusual. As Koon was putting his newly-acquired chips into order, Carrel said, "You generally get a good idea of whether someone was bluffing or not by how they stack their chips afterward."

Koon was sceptical. "Oh really?" he said. "Was I bluffing?"

Carrel said that he was.

"Good read," Koon said.

Meanwhile Bryn Kenney has just asked a server for "Just a cup of hot water and a spoon."

Yes, it's a slow start. -- HS

12:25pm: First flopLevel 17 - Blinds 20,000/40,000 (ante 5,000)

Daniel Colman opened for 90,000 from middle position, then Byron Kaverman three-bet to 240,000 from the cutoff. Action came back to Colman and he called, and the flop came J♦7♥3♠.

Both players checked, then after the 9♦ turn card fell Colman fired a bet of 250,000. Kaverman thought less than a minute, then released his hand.

The first deployment of the "All-In" triangle came after Daniel Colman opened to 90,000 from the hijack and Byron Kaverman shoved from the button. Charlie Carrel and Daniel Dvoress quickly folded their blinds and Colman also folded immediately. -- HS

12:20pm: And they're offLevel 17 - Blinds 20,000/40,000 (ante 5,000)

They're underway, with cautious play during the first three hands.

The first hand saw Jason Koon open from the button to win the blinds and antes, then in Hand #2 Byron Kaverman (one of the shorter stacks) got a walk in the big blind. Connor Drinan then opened from middle position and got no takers. --MH

Sam Greenwood was eliminated with 22 minutes left on Level 17, so the returning players will continue at the 20K/40K blind level, before heading up to 25K/50K. Both levels have a 10K ante. They're still getting photographed, and chewing the fat on subjects as diverse as racism in professional sports, jobs in finance and astrophysics. Broadly: bad, bad, good, in that order. -- HS

12pm: Pictures please

All seven players have arrived on time and are posing for their pre final-table photos. Jason Koon and Connor Drinan both claim to have had nine hours sleep last night, so are feeling fresh coming into this one. There's absolutely no one at this table who isn't a confirmed brilliant player. Welcome to the world of optimal poker. --MH

The magnificent seven

11am: Who will be the first champion of the PokerStars Championship era?

Good morning all and welcome back to the Bahamas for the first of several huge days we'll see this week. Today we will crown the first major champion of the PokerStars Championship era as the $100,000 Super High Roller tournament plays to its winner.

This event attracted 41 players and 13 re-entries, building a prize pool of more than $5 million. There's $1,650,300 earmarked for the champion and seven players still in with a chance.

Here's exactly how they will line up:

Name

Country

Chips

Charlie Carrel

United Kingdom

3,710,000

Dan Colman

United States

2,600,000

Jason Koon

United States

2,305,000

Daniel Dvoress

Canada

1,640,000

Connor Drinan

United States

1,455,000

Byron Kaverman

United States

970,000

Bryn Kenney

United States

740,000

And a reminder of what they are playing for:

Place

Name

Prize

1

$1,650,300

2

$1,191,900

3

$759,660

4

$576,300

5

$445,320

6

$340,540

7

$275,060

The leader is Charlie Carrel, the young British player who has shown over the past 12 months that he is very much in the top minute percentile of players of this game. He is on fire. But just behind him is Daniel Colman, who went on a similar heater a few years ago and seems to have lost none of his touch.

Jason Koon, Daniel Dvoress, Byron Kaverman and Connor Drinan are also fixtures at final tables in the highest buy-in events, while Bryn Kenney may have the shortest stack but he has all the pedigree. He is the defending champion.

Charlie Carrel: First among equals

This is perhaps a unique line-up for a Super High Roller final inasmuch as there's not a single player who could be described as an unknown quantity. The potential for stack-punting seems lower than ever before; we're in for a masterclass of optimal play. Unless someone puts together a pretty spectacular run of cards, the chances that this one ends in a deal is pretty high.

We'll be table-side for all the action from the starting whistle at 12 noon. Stick around.